Anthropology

Career potential

Majoring in anthropology at the University of North Texas will prepare you for work in an increasingly global economy, one in which academic and professional anthropologists face exciting new challenges and have many opportunities.

Today, anthropologists work in a world transformed by global economic forces, unstable and shifting political borders, national conflicts, ethnic division, food and environmental crises, natural disasters, genocide, and public health crises. As an anthropologist, you may work for the World Health Organization, the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and many agencies of the U.S. government and foreign service. You may also work as a city planner, work for a public health agency or work in business as a market researcher.

To advance in your anthropology career or to teach anthropology and conduct research, you will need to earn a master's or doctoral degree. UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

Majoring in anthropology

Anthropology is divided into several areas of specialization:

• cultural anthropology: the comparative study of culture and culture change
• linguistics: the comparative and historical study of language
• archaeology: learning about earlier cultures by examining the artifacts they left behind
• biological/physical anthropology: learning about human physical variation and development

Anthropology majors at UNT receive training in theory and methodology: ethnography, in-depth interviewing, survey research and quantitative analysis. Courses require intensive writing, and you are encouraged to become proficient in a second language. UNT places emphasis on training you in the application of anthropological knowledge in the private, public and nonprofit sectors in local, regional and international arenas. You are encouraged to travel abroad and get hands-on experience while working in UNT's international field schools.

As an anthropology major, you may join the UNT Anthropology Students Association, which focuses on understanding the life experiences of diverse peoples throughout time. The group sponsors field trips, a faculty lecture series and discussions of social issues. The association is open to all students interested in anthropology. UNT's anthropology faculty members are nationally recognized for their work in public health, aging, archaeology, community development, diversity, gender, medical and forensic anthropology, organizational culture and business, political and religious extremism, physical anthropology, race and ethnic relations, social change, urban affairs and policy, education, Africa, Mexico and Latin America, Native Americans, Oceania, and the United States.

Getting hands-on experience

Anthropology students gain practical experience in several ways. As an anthropology major, you may help uncover a buried archaeological site in Texas, or you may work as an intern in a museum or social or government agency.

Faculty members serve as mentors to students. As an anthropology major, you may work on a professor's research project or conduct your own research project.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

You may declare a major in anthropology upon enrolling at UNT. We recommend that you declare the major before taking many electives. You may want to complete the math, science and social science courses required for all undergraduates before taking junior and senior-level anthropology courses because the courses will help you in the anthropology program.

Opportunities that help you explore social science topics - as well as archaeology, geology and human biology topics - are helpful. Travel within and outside the United States to enhance your knowledge and understanding of different cultural groups is also helpful.

Charting your path with academic advising

Anthropology academic advisors will help you each semester to select courses that are necessary to earn your bachelor's degree. In addition, faculty members are available to provide career advice. The department office is in Chilton Hall, Room 330Q.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.